Introduction. The paper presents results of a petrographic study into ceramic finds of the Elshankaya culture, a most ancient one from across the Neolithic forest-steppe area of the Volga Basin. Goals. The work attempts an analysis into the materials and additives identified by micromorphological surveys of pottery pieces from a total of five sites. To facilitate this, the article shall scrupulously characterize clay types, impurities and their shares in each particular sample, determine the firing procedures, and compare the newly obtained results to previous data. Materials and methods. A total of 55 ceramic fragments from the five archaeological sites ― Chekalino IV, Nizhnyaya Orlyanka II, Ilyinka, Bolshaya Rakovka II, and Lebyazhinka IV ― have been selected. The petrographic analysis conducted at the Herzen University has yielded mineralogical compositions of clay and leaners, data on temperature regimes and firing conditions, including supposed sources of raw material. Results. The analysis suggests a high level of consistency in the manufacturing processes employed at Chekalino IV, particularly in the selection of clay, determination of its composition, addition of sand, and control over firing conditions. In contrast, samples from Nizhnyaya Orlyanka II show more variability in the choice of clay sources, which may indicate the site was repeatedly inhabited by different groups during the Early Neolithic. The tradition of using chamotte in pottery manufacturing brings together the vessels excavated at Ilyinka and those of Nizhnyaya Orlyanka II, while in terms of clay types and sand proportions the samples from Ilyinka show similarities to the pottery of Chekalino IV. The divergence in clay types of Bolshaya Rakovka II may be explained by that the site was visited by different groups in different periods, which implies a dynamic interaction. In terms of raw materials, the pottery discovered at the Early Neolithic site of Lebyazhinka IV exhibits unique characteristics that distinguish it from that found at the other four sites. This suggests a certain level of temporal diversity and cultural variation within the region’s poorly decorated ceramics. Some of the examined vessels may even be associated with the Late Neolithic. Conclusions. The study has uncovered both general patterns and specific variations in the Early Neolithic ceramic tradition across the territory, as well as certain regional peculiarities. The findings align with the typological analyses conducted by previous researchers and stratigraphic data only to enhance our understanding of ceramic production practices in the Middle Volga region.

Goals. The article suggests a periodization of the East Manych Catacomb culture (EMCC). The first periodization consisted of groups of sites supposed to be archaeological cultures. The accumulation of materials made it necessary to use cultural definitions. And this gave rise to the East Manych Catacomb culture. But the large number of catacombs (catacomb types) required further differentiation. Materials and methods. The relative chronology of Middle Bronze Age catacomb burials in the Eastern Fore-Caucasus is established through stratigraphic analysis and correlations with technological and typological changes in ceramic funerary assemblages. The study focuses on sidelong burials in sub-mound Middle Bronze Age catacombs of the East Manych Catacomb culture. Results. The analysis into the examined grave sites of the Catacomb culture has yielded somewhat unexpected results. The depth of the burial chamber in relation to the entry pit has proved to correlate with both catacomb types and pottery technology and shapes ― and serves a chronological feature. So, T-shaped catacombs with chamber pit depths between 0 to 20 cm in relation to that of the entry pit contained red-ochre engobed vessels and censers on four-petal feet with vivid corded ornamental patterns, triangular and cylindrical estampages. In H-shaped catacombs with the mentioned parameter being over 1 m, the ornamental patterns on vessels virtually disappear, their molding materials and shapes change significantly. Censers of the East Manych Catacomb culture also tend to correlate with the two catacomb types, and evolutionize toward poorer and even absent ornamental patterns, reshaped feet with squared or rounded basements which was never mentioned before. Cups from the catacomb of Chogray 3/2 are identical to samples from Nogir, and attest to the early movement of Catacomb culture bearers toward the south of the Fore-Caucasus. Conclusions. The first stage demonstrates genetic and areal links between steppe and piedmont populations and corresponds to the initial phase of the Kuban-Terek culture, thus coinciding with the completion of dolmen construction. The later stage is marked by the advance of the EMCC population into the North Caucasian foothills followed by its disappearance.

Introduction. The article deals with geopolitical processes in the thirteenth-fourteenth century Eastern Mediterranean, and shows the former were tied to international trade and economic relations. Goals. The paper seeks to describe the then geopolitical and economic agenda in the Mediterranean, compare international political events, on the one hand, and trade agreements signed by Venice and Genoa, Cilician Armenia and other states, on the other. The Mongols never invaded only two states in the region ― Cilician Armenia and the Empire of Trebizond ― which thus would become new gateways to the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Ayas, the largest port of Cilician Armenia, had already become a most important point of the Silk Road between Tabriz and the Mediterranean. So, the work shall discuss how the Mediterranean trade affected international relations and what role Cilician Armenia played in those processes. Materials and methods. The study focuses on Genoese and Venetian notarial documents, trade privileges issued by the Cilician kings, as well as other primary sources and scholarly publications. Results. In pursuit of the abovementioned goals and objectives, the work compares geopolitical and economic historical processes, which proves instrumental in outlining the degree of interrelation between corresponding factors in the thirteenth-fourteenth centuries. Trade agreements concluded between Cilician Armenia, on the one hand, Venice, Genoa, the Sicilian Kingdom and other European states and cities, on the other, do chronologically correlate with the geopolitical events and processes of those times. The analytical insights into the processes show the dynamics and certain affinities between geopolitical and international trade relations.

Introduction. The issue of childrearing was acute enough for the ‘first-wave’ Russian émigrés (1918–1941), and the function was largely performed by children’s movements, the most widespread of the latter having been scouts and organizations that broke away from them. In addition to the traditional tasks of socialization, spiritual and physical development, they were to preserve national culture and maintain the memory of Russia. In Manchuria, that was supplemented with the need to confront the Soviet institutions widely represented in the region. Goals. The article attempts a comprehensive study into the history of scout-type movements in Harbin and along the Chinese Eastern Railway. To facilitate this, the paper shall examine key emigrant children’s organizations, reveal some specifics of their development in comparison to those of the European diaspora, and identify the reasons behind the rise and decline of these movements. Materials and methods. The study focuses on documents from the State Archive of Khabarovsk Krai and the State Archive of the Russian Federation, as well as emigrant periodicals from the specified period. The work employs the descriptive and historical-genetic methods for insights into the phenomenon of Harbin emigrant movements in their entirety and development. The historical anthropological approach proves instrumental in better understanding everyday practices and roles of particular individuals in shaping the unique image of Harbin-based emigrant community. The comparative method makes it possible to recognize the specifics of children’s organizations of Far Eastern émigrés in comparison with their Western counterparts. Results. The Russian Civil War led to that Harbin hosted a significant number of scout leaders and teenage members who fled toward the eastern part of the Russian Empire. Since Harbin was a piece of Russia in Manchuria, the scout groups did quickly attract a wide range of children. Subsequently, three other movements separated from the scouts ― only to change ideological essentials with retained working methods. Conclusions. In the 1920s–1930s, the development of children’s movements in the region did depend on the political situation and those who exercised actual control over the CER ― China, Soviet Union, Manchukuo, Japan. And despite scout organizations tried to adapt to the changing agenda, external factors led to their decline by the late 1930s, and after the victory of the Soviet Union in World War II ― to their complete disappearance in the region.

Introduction. The intensive development of Russia’s trade relations with Asian nations, shaping of new transport corridors, and implementation of infrastructure projects across Eurasia make it essential to secure deeper insights into historical precedents of global economic integration. In this context, the interest toward the Tea Road is evident enough. However, despite the extensive publications on Russia-China trade, there remains a significant gap in understanding the role of local self-government institutions in the process. Goals. The article seeks to shed light on the activities of the Kyakhta Town Hall (council) in facilitating the functioning of Kyakhta as a key transit point along the Tea Road. Materials. The study investigates documentary sources from the State Archive of the Republic of Buryatia (Coll. 158 ‘Kyakhta Town Hall of Kyakhta-Troitskosavsk, Verkhneudinsk District, Irkutsk Governorate [since 1851 ― Transbaikal Oblast], 1775–1876). Results. The article demonstrates the role of the local self-government institution ― Kyakhta Town Hall ― along with the town’s communities of merchants and dwellers in the construction of trade facilities, maintenance of local roads and ferry crossings used for transporting goods, and in arranging the scheduling of cargo transportation. The work emphasizes the particularly important role of the Kyakhta Town Hall in the construction of the stone Merchant Court (Gostiny Dvor). Part of the required funds was accumulated through commercial exchanges (‘promen’) of grain for high-demand foreign goods that would be subsequently sold in domestic markets. Furthermore, the Kyakhta Town Hall represented and defended the interests of merchants and townspeople before the executive offices of Eastern Siberia Governor General and the civil Governor of Irkutsk. It would also closely interact with the Kyakhta Customs Office and border control authorities.

Introduction. Ethnic Russians who settled within the exclusion zone of the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER) since the late nineteenth century would retain their traditional lifestyles, vivid material and spiritual culture, and Christian faith ― only to create a unique community based on cultural and ethnic identity. Goals. The article shall introduce into scientific circulation the memoirs of Svetlana Yurievna Muravskaya about the life of her ancestors in China. Results. S. Muravskaya’s memoirs are a valuable source for understanding the peculiarities of the life and everyday practices of Russian migrants in Harbin. Having moved to China due to an internal family conflict, the Romanchenko-Railyan joined the group of Soviet immigrants in China. Professionally, most family members were in various ways connected with the railway (builders, cashiers, workers), and would also become engaged in trade, entrepreneurship, fishing, handicrafts, gardening, and animal husbandry. The preservation of their native language and traditional lifestyle, participation in the cultural life of the migrant community, and education within the framework of cultural and religious traditions contributed to the preservation of national and cultural identity, helped them avoid assimilation among the indigenous population, and would pave a return way toward the historical homeland.

Introduction. The paper describes the deeds of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, a most revered deity of the Buddhist pantheon that personifies great compassion. Goals. The article attempts analyses of texts dedicated to the cult of Avalokiteśvara to describe his deeds as the patron of Tibet. Materials. The study investigates apocryphal texts and a number of Tibetan historical writings. The deeds of Avalokiteśvara (his incarnations) as the progenitor of the Tibetan people, patron of the Land of Snows, and the guardian of the Teaching are most fully represented in the collection of Terma-type texts titled ‘Mani Kambum’ which includes narratives of different genres relating to different historical periods. Section (cycle) One compiled of 36 sutras describes the deeds of Avalokiteśvara and the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo (7th c. CE). Tibetan historical texts often contain a short version of the legend according to which the Tibetan descend from the Lord of Monkeys and the Demoness of Rocks, with a few references to the latter. An extended text of the legend constitutes Chapter 34 of Volume 1 of Oirat-language Mani Kambum (in Clear Script). Results. The article transliterates and translates (with comments) Chapter 34. The introduced translation is based on the Oirat-language manuscript from the Library of the Faculty of Asian and African Studies (St. Petersburg University, call no. Calm D 22).

Goals. The article examines the evolution of the image of Orenburg region’s inhabitants in works authored by members of the Orenburg Branch of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society from 1867 to 1917. Materials and methods. The article is based on historical sources, such as the Zapiski and Izvestiya of the Orenburg Branch of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. The scholarly series would articulate public opinions and include as follows: articles by members of the Society (military and civil officers, teachers, local historians); reports on expeditions and meetings; publications of archival documents and folklore narratives; polemical notes (e.g., criticism of Altynsarin’s works); maps, statistical tables, protocols and minutes. In terms of methodology, the work rests on tools of imagological analysis and critical source research applied to publications of the Orenburg Branch of the Russian Geographical Society. Results. The specified evolution was conditioned by a variety of political, social and research methodological factors. The paper distinguishes a total of three key stages in the development of that scholarly discourse: classical imperial one (1860s–1880s), ethnographic one (1890s – early 1900s), and that of provincialization (1905–1917). At the first stage,images were formed under the influence of military-administrative tasks, which was mirrored in stereotypical descriptions of the peoples of the region. The dominance of the military-administrative approach was explained by the imperial objectives of integrating the territory. Orenburg lands were perceived as a border zone requiring control, and that would be confirmed with stereotypical images of Kazakhs as ‘barbarian nomads’ and Russian settlers as ‘agents of civilization’. After the abolition of Orenburg Governor General’s Office (1881), the scholarly discourse became less ideology-driven, which made it possible to secure more objective studies. The second stage is characterized by detailed insights into cultural diversities, rejections of simplified clichés, and increased attention to cultural interactions. These were given rise to by local intellectuals (teachers, local historians) who ― by contrast with officials ― did pay attention to cultural aspects and folk traditions. The growth of interest toward ethnography and folklore was mirroring the then all-Russia trends, including that of Narodism. The third stage was associated with the reduction of research to specifically practical issues, which led to somewhat simplified and fragmented images. The shift of focus to Turgai Steppe in 1900–1917 was caused by the Stolypin agrarian reforms and the need to deal with land conflicts. This narrowed the research agenda and made images of native inhabitants less expressive. The study shows how political, social and methodological factors influenced the shaping of the image ascribed to the region and its inhabitants throughout the defined period.

Introduction. The article is a source study that introduces into scientific circulation a little-known historical document dealing with the activities of Nikolai Nikolaevich Palmov ― the founder of Kalmyk studies in Russia, historian, archaeographer, and educator. N. Palmov’s work is an inspiring example for our contemporaries, and further disclosure of its details seems relevant enough. The newly introduced document reveals an understudied aspect of N. Palmov’s research biography ― his museological endeavors. Goals. The paper seeks to introduce the specified document into scientific circulation, which makes it possible to supplement the biography of N. Palmov with some little-studied data. Materials and methods. The study focuses on a handwritten document stored at the State Historical Museum (Department of Written Sources) ― a note submitted by N. Palmov to the Main Museum Directorate under the People’s Commissariat for Education. Methodologically, the work rests on tools inherent to source studies at large. Results. The careful insight into the document has revealed the circumstances of its creation in the contexts of then Russia’s museum affairs ― and N. Palmov’s research biography proper. In the note, N. Palmov advocates the independence of Kalmyk Museum of History and Ethnography, outlines some prospects of its further development as a host for not only ethnographic but also archaeological and natural science collections. The scholar mentions names of his fellow naturalists who are ready to work for the benefit of the Museum. But the most important thing is that N. Palmov draws facts of genuine interest in the museum’s activities and the formation of its collections shown by both the Kalmyk intelligentsia and ordinary Kalmyks. The document tells about the efforts undertaken by the Museum’s employees among the Kalmyk population, N. Palmov’s personal labors aimed at developing the Museum and expanding its collections. Conclusions. N. Palmov proved to be not only an outstanding historian and archaeographer but also a museum worker who not only realized the importance of exploring spiritual and material cultures of Kalmyk Steppe ― both the preceding and existing ones ― but also spared neither pains nor time for that cause, and would attract like-minded enthusiasts from the local cultural environment.

 Introduction. The article examines the image of Russian émigrés in Chinese early to mid-twentieth-century fiction and opinion writing. The period was marked by intense ideological disputes which were mirrored in fiction and non-fiction narratives. The historical situation and political environment resulted in that the collective consciousness of the Chinese became dominated by the image of Russians as ‘white émigrés’, and the latter persisted until the 1980s. Goals. The paper attempts a study and analysis into the image of Russian emigrants in Chinese literature throughout the specified period. Materials and methods. The study analyzes works by such Chinese authors, as Jiang Guangci, Ding Ling, Zhang Ailing, Ba Jin, Xiao Jun, Shu Qun, Xiao Hong, Luo Feng, and many of the latter have never been translated into Russian. The methodological scope includes tools of historical genetic, historical cultural, structural semantic, and immanent analyses of fiction texts, as well as biographical and translation approaches. Results. The work shows that during the CCP’s establishment and War of Resistance, the images of emigrants would largely manifest the writers’ own ethnic and political attitudes (with exceptions of few non-party authors). The article identifies the persistence of ethnic stereotypes and analyzes some differences in perceptions of white émigrés in literatures of Shanghai, Beijing and Harbin. Furthermore, the paper focuses on how emigrants would become objects of political controversies, so that some young leftist writers tended to view them as symbols of imperialism, while others would use them as starting points for self-images. Non-politicized, non-party and artistically single writers would articulate quite different and rather curious ethnic attitudes. Conclusions. The study emphasizes that the images of Russian emigrants in Chinese literature mirror not only experiences of actual contacts between the two ethnic groups, but also internal conflicts and changes in Chinese society associated with revolutionary transformations. The early to mid-twentieth-century writings show a complex reception process of the phenomenon of emigration, as well as expose the frames inherent in Chinese perceptions of foreigners since ancient times. Thus, the image of white émigrés largely served a mirror for self-perceptions of the young progressive Chinese society in the specified historical period.

Introduction. The cityscape — primarily the image of Alma-Ata (Almaty) — occupies a pivotal position in the prose of Kazakhstani writer Lilya Kalaus. In her works, the urban environment functions not merely as a setting but as a symbolically and mythopoetically charged element that unifies individual narratives into an overarching serial structure. Goals. The study aims to examine the urban text as the structural and semantic nucleus of seriality in L. Kalaus’ fiction. It explores the mythopoetic functions of the city image, the ways in which recurring urban motifs foster narrative continuity, and the broader postmodern tendencies of literary seriality, such as intellectual irony, textual self-reflexivity, intertextual coding, and interpretive agency of the reader. Materials and methods. The paper primarily focuses on a selection of writings by Lilya Kalaus published in various years. The article uses the comparative typological, structural, and contextual methods. Results. The analysis demonstrates that the figure of Almaty recurs throughout L. Kalaus’ oeuvre to serve as a mirror for the protagonists’ inner states or as a symbolic topography of key events. The consistent use of shared urban locations, motifs of the supernatural, and archetypal characters enables a serial reading of the texts. Spatial entry — into the city or domestic interiors — triggers characters’ existential transitions, frequently associated with inner metamorphosis or symbolic rebirth. Within a postcolonial framework, Almaty is represented as a corporeal entity, combining vulnerability with sacred potency and functioning as a site of identity negotiation and cultural tension. Conclusions. In Lilya Kalaus’ prose, the city of Almaty constitutes a dynamic narrative structure. Through the recurrence and reinterpretation of motifs, topoi, and symbolic imagery, the urban text generates a serial continuity that integrates discrete stories into an open-ended yet coherent literary constellation.

Goals. The study attempts an insight into the lexicon denoting age and gender categories in Tundra and Forest Yukaghir idioms, focusing on their etymological origins and semantic development. Special attention is given to the heterogeneity of lexical composition, encompassing both native elements and borrowings from Chukchi-Kamchatkan, Uralic, and Russian languages. Methods. The methodological framework combines tools of comparative historical analysis, semantic reconstruction, and language contact research. The work is grounded on hypotheses suggesting potential connections between Yukaghir and Uralic, Chukchi-Kamchatkan and other languages. Results. The paper establishes that the previously unetymologized Tundra Yukaghir апаналаа ‘old woman; wife’ (from an idiom) displays reliable parallels in Chukchi-Kamchatkan languages indicating its borrowed status. Of particular interest is the etymological distinction between the roots пэл ~ пул: the Yukaghir пэлдудиэ ~ пулундиэ ‘old man’ is traced back to the Chukchi-Kamchatkan *pelqet- ‘to grow old (of objects)’, while пэлур ~ пулут ‘suitor; husband; old man’ is considered a reflex of the Uralic *pälä ‘half; side’. A key aspect of the study is the analysis of semantic shifts whereby lexemes denoting age categories (апаналаа, пэлдудиэ) acquired social meanings (‘wife’, ‘husband’). This phenomenon systematically mirrors the connection between age and social roles in traditional Yukaghir society. Based on the analysis, the target lexicon is stratified into three groups: probable Yukaghir-Uralic correspondences (пэлур ~ пулут ‘suitor; husband; old man’, куойпэ ~ куойпэ ‘man’); late borrowings from Chukchi-Kamchatkan (апаналаа ‘old woman; wife’, пэлдудиэ ‘old man; husband’) and Russian (тэрикэ ‘old woman; wife’); isolated lexemes reconstructed within Yukaghir (лугэ- ~ лигэ- ‘to be old’, паайпэ ‘woman’, мирийэ ~ мидосьо ‘caravan; wife’). The findings contribute to the further understanding of language contacts and ethnocultural history of the Yukaghir, clarify mechanisms of semantic change in situations of cross-linguistic interaction.

Introduction. Karakol Kalmyks are an ethnic group of Oirat descent inhabiting Ak-Suu District of Issyk-Kul Region (Kyrgyzstan). Those are descendants of Olots that migrated there after the Dungan Revolt of 1881 was suppressed. Nowadays, their native language is vanishing. Goals. The paper examines key phonetic diagnostic features characterizing the Karakol Kalmyk dialect in Kyrgyzstan ― in comparison to other Kalmyk and Oirat dialects and subdialects. Results. The article reveals values of the features on the basis of present-day materials (the authors’ own field data) and provides comparative insights into sometimes contradictory descriptions available in published works. It also specifies a number of phonetic distributions inherent to manifestations of sound change rules ― from the common Mongolic state to the one documented for the dialect. In a number of cases, instrumental acoustic analyses made it possible to confirm or refute some auditory impressions of various dialect researchers. The specific classification proximity of the dialect to that of Tsaatan Kalmyks is confirmed for a number of parameters. However, any final conclusion can only be made after phonetic investigations of other Kalmyk and Oirat dialects through the use of a similar feature matrix.

Introduction. The paper describes some results obtained from a cognate identification neural network designed to establish new etymologies and sources of borrowings in Eastern Yugur. Materials and methods. The study provides an overview of existing neural network models, results of their work, and characterizes the available dictionaries of Eastern Yugur. The latter’s etymologies have been specified on the basis of Mongolic-language dictionaries uploaded onto the LingvoDoc platform. The work employs the comparative historical method and certain functional tools of the platform that have proved instrumental in identifying cognates for a number of Eastern Yugur words and reconstructing some essentials of Proto-Mongolic. Results. The article describes the principles of the neural network that follows the Siamese pattern and consists of two identical branches. A total of 40 Proto-Mongolic reconstructions — previously known only for the North Mongolic languages — have been implemented. In addition, the paper introduces 11 examples of early Chinese borrowings to Eastern Yugur, since those are available in other Mongolic languages. A number of Proto-Mongolic lexical reconstructions dealing with material culture are noteworthy enough: *(h)iliɣür ‘[press] iron’, *kükür ‘sulfur’, *jaŋ- ‘cement’, *kas ‘jasper, jade’, *kuruɣub- ‘thimble’. Efforts aimed at supplementing existing etymologies with data on Eastern Yugur and — in some cases — those from dictionaries of other Mongolic languages available on the LingvoDoc (Classical Mongolian, Mongolian, Buryat, Oirat, Dagur, Dongxiang, Bonan) and verifying reconstructed lexemes through Chinese dictionaries for borrowings make it possible to deepen our knowledge of Mongol cultural history and even specify sources of certain inventions.

 Introduction. This article is devoted to the consideration of the lexeme denoting a rainbow in Mongolian languages. The material of the study is the differences in various dictionaries of written Mongolian, Middle Mongolian and modern Mongolian languages, by dialects of Mongolian languages. As a result of the analysis of lexicographic sources, 10 names of the rainbow were identified, among the main ones are reflexes from the Proto-Mongolian *solaŋga in modern Mongolian languages. Some of these nominations are figurative in nature, which indicates, in our opinion, the taboo nature of naming the rainbow. Among them, there are also such names that retain the rudiments of archaic beliefs of a pre-Buddhist nature. In the bases of semantic transitions, such shifts in semantics were not found. The presence of a simple concept of its own in the Mongolian countries, the absence of a more extended collocation network shows, in our opinion, that the ancestors of the Mongolian peoples lived in a territory with a cold and cold climate, where conditions for showing rainbows in the sky rarely arose. Perhaps, they lived in such relations for some time, therefore, in communication there is no tracking of the reflection of a more branched structure of the concept. If the latter have developed additional meanings by transferring names to borderline phenomena (for example, in Mongolian languages the same words denote wind and air, wind and rain, etc., or in Tungus-Manchu languages thunderstorm and thunder, thunderstorm and lightning, in other languages similar semantic transitions are also denoted), then in the words of rainbow in Mongolian languages semantic transitions are not mentioned, although some of them indicate a possible transition rainbow → animal.

Introduction. The article deals with syntactic structures of Bashkir colloquial speech that remains a little-studied and urgent issue of modern Bashkir linguistics. Goals. The study attempts a comprehensive analysis into syntactic structures of spoken Bashkir. Materials and methods. The work is the first to focus on oral monological discourses collected during the author’s expeditions, samples of folk colloquial speech contained in the Machine Fund of the Bashkir Language and the textbook ‘Samples of Spoken Bashkir’. The examples for analysis have been selected through the continuous sampling method. The tools of discursive and contextual analyses have proved most instrumental for the study. Results. The paper reveals some characteristic features inherent to the syntax of spoken Bashkir. The linearity of oral speech ― arising from spontaneity, unpreparedness, emotionality, background knowledge, extra- and paralinguistic means of communication characteristic of colloquial speech ― generates certain types of phrases and syntactic constructions that differ from written language. The analyzed material shows that simple incomplete and non-conjunctive compound sentences, relative and parenthetical constructions prevail in colloquial speech. The article also examines how Russian syntax influences syntactic structures of colloquial Bashkir speech, which is most evident in direct speech patterns and code-switching in cases of Bashkir-Russian bilingualism.